Four-run first inning sets tone in Sunday loss

Salt Lake City, Utah — Back-to-back home runs put the Sacramento River Cats (53-68) in a quick four-run deficit against the Salt Lake Bees (52-71) on Sunday afternoon.

Right-handed starter Sean Hjelle walked the Bees opening batter but after retiring second baseman Michael Stefanic, Hjelle would surrender three consecutive hits including back-to-back home runs from Chad Wallach and Preston Palmeiro. Hjelle settled down and kept Salt Lake off the board through the fourth, allowing the River Cats to tie the game with their own set of back-to-back shots.

After a double and a walk came around to score for Sacramento in the third, catcher Ronnie Freeman and outfielder Braden Bishop led off the fifth with a pair of solo shots to tie the game at four. But Salt Lake would immediately counter, chasing Hjelle from the game with only one out in the fifth. The Bees would cash in for four runs in two straight innings to eventually hand the River Cats an eight-run loss.

These two clubs will wrap up the first half of MiLB’s Final Stretch on Monday before the River Cats head back home for a season-ending series against the Albuquerque Isotopes. Jay Jackson will start the game for Sacramento in an opener role while the Bees will send young lefty talent Reid Detmers to the bump. First pitch is set for 5:35 p.m. (PT). Listen to Johnny Doskow call the game live online at rivercats.com or on the MiLB First Pitch app.

Additional Notes

• The River Cats got solid offensive performances from Bishop (2-for-5 with a double and a home run) as well as fellow outfielder Mike Tauchman (1-for-2 with a double and two walks).
• Down eight in the eighth, Sacramento sent infielder Jason Krizan to the mound to pitch for the second time in 2021. He was particularly efficient on Sunday, retiring three batters on just eight pitches. At Las Vegas on May 8, Krizan threw seven pitches while facing two batters in the top of the 10th.